The PNG Chiefs are well underway in building their inaugural squad without even being close to November 1.
That the expansion club, who most expected would struggle enormously to sign players thanks to their location, have managed three signings already - and of high quality - is outstanding.
Only two are official, with Jarome Luai the first to join as he exercised an out clause in his long-term Wests Tigers deal, while Alex Johnston was given permission to negotiate with the club early by the South Sydney Rabbitohs, despite still being contracted for 2027.
It has now emerged that Connor Watson, who has been given permission to negotiate both his immediate and long-term future away from the Sydney Roosters, has also signed.
That's likely to be the end of the official signings before November 1, although the Chiefs will spend plenty of time in the news cycle as players hold off on re-signing with their current outfits in hope of joining what could be a competitive team in a rugby league obsessed nation for tax-free dollars.
Zero Tackle reported recently that Penrith Panthers and New South Wales winger Brian To'o, who is best mates with Jarome Luai, is likely to be another of those players, and one of the first to go once November 1 rolls around, with the Panthers understood to be resigned to losing him.
Despite the tax-free element to PNG's salary cap though, they can't simply sign everyone on huge money.
With just a day over five months until November 1 arrives, Zero Tackle have poured over the list of off-contract players at the end of next year and come up with ten likely bargain buys to help fill the Chiefs' squad.
1. Cooper Bai (Gold Coast Titans)
Maybe the easiest and most obvious fit on this list, Cooper Bai, the son of the legendary Marcus Bai, has already been strongly tied to a move to PNG.
The fact his contract is over at the end of 2027, and he re-signed after the announcement the Chiefs were joining the club, certainly points things in that direction.
The Chiefs have made it clear they want to sign a number of either PNG, or PNG-backrouhnd players, of which Bai is one.
More importantly, he has impressed in first-grade, playing 11 games this year after debuting in the final round last year against the Wests Tigers.
He has just cracked the starting team at the Titans and hasn't taken a back seat. There is no doubt the Titans will want to retain him, but the Chiefs will be able to make an offer too good to refuse without breaking the bank.
Don't be surprised if he is the club's inaugural number 13.
Interesting filler article, but there are two things that concern me.
The first is that most of these guys can’t even consider an approach until 1 November, and who knows how their form may have changed over the rest of the season.
The second thing is that going to Port Moresby is quite different to relocating to Townsville or Melbourne. I expect that a LOT of these guys will think that no matter how much they are paid, it will not be enough to convince them to go and live in a compound, like they are in some extended version of COVID.